Hale County probate judge to fight assault charge

Thursday

May 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Hale County Probate Judge Arthur Crawford will fight a misdemeanor assault charge filed against him in April.

By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer

Hale County Probate Judge Arthur Crawford will fight a misdemeanor assault charge filed against him in April.An employee who worked as a security guard with Crawford at Mercedes Benz U.S. International claims Crawford, 56, injured his shoulder when he hit him on Feb. 19, 2010.Crawford said during a hearing in Tuscaloosa County District Court Wednesday that he is not guilty and plans to hire an attorney, He declined to comment further after the hearing.According to the court deposition written in March 2010 but not filed in court until April 18, Crawford and Lee Alexander, 63, were working as guards for Wackenhut Corp., a Birmingham security firm that contracted to work at the auto plant in Vance.Alexander wrote in the deposition that Crawford, his supervisor, asked him about an employee he had let in a gate at the west turnstile just after midnight. “He became very agitated and asked me why I didn't call him,” Alexander wrote. “I told him I didn't think it was that important. He got very upset and got right in my face and told me he didn't like my attitude. He then took both of his fists and hit me with a hard blow to my chest, knocking me backward, causing me to fall into the chair. He then stepped back with both of his fists to attack me again.”Alexander was treated for the injury at UAB Medical West emergency room in Bessemer. A doctor wrote two weeks later that Alexander could return to work but should refrain from using his left arm.Crawford, a retired U.S. Army veteran from Sawyerville, took office in January after a controversial battle for the position held by Leland Avery for three terms. He won the Democratic primary, but was disqualified after rulings that he didn't follow new campaign finance rules. He launched a successful write-in campaign and defeated the incumbent with 3,729 votes to Avery's 3,353 and Republican challenger Bob Hoggle's 1,409.